Device for illustrating preparation of coal



2- 8, 1933. H. MORGAN 1,921,692

DEVICE FOR ILLUSTRATING PREPARATION OF COAL Filed Oct. 26, 1931 Patented Aug. 8, 1933 I UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR ILLUSTRATING PREPARATION OF COAL 1 Hopkin Morgan, Scranton, Pa., assignor to Penn Anthracite Mining Company, Scranton, Pa., a Corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 26, 1931. Serial No. 571,266

2 Claims. (01. 35-16) This invention relates to a device which is serviceable for illustrating the natural impurities in coal. and a gravitational method oi separating the impurities fromthecoal. The device comprises a glass container in which are enclosed particles of coal, particles of rock, such as slate, and a clear liquid of such density that the coal floats and the slate sinks in the liquid. The container is preferably in the form of a closed tube, and this is mounted in a support so that it may be rotated endwise in a vertical plane to cause the coal and slate to exchange places in the tube. The tube is mounted so that it can readily be taken out of its support and turned to any desired position to illustrate the separation of the materials.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 Fig. 1' is a longitudinal central section through the container showing the, same mounted in its supporting means, the latter being shown partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the container inverted from the position shown in Fig. 1, and, Fig. 3 is a side view showing part of one of the supports and part of the container, the latter being partly in section.

Referring to the drawing (1 indicates a glass container, preferably in the form of 'a tube, closed at both ends, as shown, and having in- "tegral glass pintles 1 which project from its opposite sides and midway of its length. Sheet metal uprights 2, secured to a suitable base, 3, and spaced apart, are provided with perforations 4 to receive the pintles. The uprights can be sprung apart to. insert the pintles in the perforations or to remove the tube from the supporting means. The tube, when mounted in the supports may be rotated endwise in a vertic'al plane. 1 i 40 v The tube contains particlesoi anthracite coal '5 and particles of rock 6, such as slate, which is the impurity most commonly found in anthracite coal. Within the tube, and nearly H filling the same, is a transparent liquid ,7 of such density that the coal floats and the slate tation and separation of its impurities, the

1 bottom. Fig; 2, the coal and slate will exchangepositions sinks therein. Preferably this liquid is a zincchloride solution, filtered to make it transparent. After the coal, slate and liquid have been inserted. through an open end of the tube, the tube;

is closed, as by sealing it. In the drawing, the .60 numeral 8 indicates the sealed end of the tube;

To illustrate the preparation of coal by gravitube may be turned about its'axis, as illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 1, the coal is shown at the top of the tube and .the'slate at the If the tube is inverted as shown in in the tube, the slate going to the bottom and the coal, rising to the upper part of the liquid. 7 The tube may be taken out of its sup orts and operated in the same'way, or it maybe turned in any desired position and the slate and coal will quickly separate.

The zinc chloride solution is too expensive to use commercially in the separation of coal and slate, except for testing samples to ascertain thepercentagesof slate and coal therein, but the device illustrates, by means of the expensive clear liquid, the gravitational separation of coal from slate practiced commercially with relatively inexpensive fluids.

What I claim is: 1

1. A device for illustrating the gravitational separation of natural impurities from coal, comprising a closed transparent container, particles of coal, particles of rock, and a dense liquid in said container, the density of the liquid being such that the coal floats and the'rock sinks therein, 190

2. A device for illustrating the gravitational separation of natural impurities from coal, comprising a closed glass tube, particles of coal, particles of rock, anda dense liquid in said tube, the density of the liquid being such that the coal floats and the rock sinks therein, and means for pivotally supporting the tube at its sides so that it may be rotated endwise in a vertical plane.

HOPKIN MORGAN. 

